Week 5 Criminal Justice Capstone

Drug Problems in the United States

Jaime Carlson

Criminal Justice Capstone

Instructor Lynn Dorey

March 2nd, 2015

Drugs have been around for many years in different forms. Initially drugs were used to help people with various problems until it was noted that they were addictive and eventually became illegal. People take drugs because they want to change something about their lives. Some of the reasons people take drugs are to fit in, to escape or relax, to relieve boredom, to rebel or to experiment. Many people that attempt drugs think they are a solution but in reality drugs are the problem.

When people talk about a "drug problem," they usually mean abusing legal drugs such as prescription pills or over the counter medications in large quantities or using illegal drugs, such as marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, LSD, crystal meth, and heroin. If alcohol or tobacco were "invented" today they would be illegal. The only reason they haven't been banned is because humans have such a long history with these substances and entire industries have developed around them. Alcohol and tobacco are however subjected to a lot more legislation these days than a few years ago, indicating that there is a move towards limiting their use.

Most drugs come from plants and have multiple purposes that we can benefit from like Betsy Ross' flag and Chris Columbus' sails were made of canvas/cannabis, or paper production that is much more efficient and less environmentally destructive than cutting down vast forests; oil from the seeds to power diesel engines; methane from the decomposition of the fast-growing biomass; and many, many medical uses. That one crop could revitalize American agriculture and industry, and help wean us from foreign oil.

* However it is illegal to have drugs in your possession for both use and distribution. The reason for the Controlled Substances Act, a law...